Thursday, August 18, 2011

Most Overlooked PSP Games - Part Five

We've reached Part Five of our trip through the severely underrated PlayStation Portable catalog. With the PlayStation Vita on the horizon, what better way to send off Sony's first handheld than with another look at a series of overlooked titles from the PSP's library? One could argue nearly every game in North America is overlooked, and they would sadly be right thanks to how rampant piracy is. That notwithstanding let's check out and induct five new titles into the Most Overlooked PSP Games hall of fame.

God of War: Ghost of Sparta

Kratos's second handheld adventure brought him to Hades and back to recover his brother in God of War: Ghost of Sparta. Unlike Chains of Olympus, however, the previous handheld entry, Ghost of Sparta went under the radar. PSP owners just didn't bite. That's a shame, too, as there's a meaty experience, wonderful and impressive visuals, and sensational boss battles to take part in. Not even the rage of the gods was enough for consumers to take note of this epic title.

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

From legendary game designer Mr. Yasumi Matsuno, the same mind behind Final Fantasy Tactics, comes the remake of the popular PlayStation One classic, Tactics Ogre. This journey chronicling the Wallister Resistance has players participating in terrific tactical RPG battles where players must think ahead if victory is their goal. The many available classes and abilities allow for various and unique strategies so no two battles were ever alike. As of right now, one can pick up this title from Amazon.com for under twenty clams.

Patapon 3

Pata-pata-pata-pon. Sony's attempts to establish new franchises worked well with some properties (i.e. Resistance, Motorstorm, and InFAMOUS) while others did not do so well. Such is the life of the Patapon franchise. This rhythm war game has players tapping buttons to the beat of the music to take down large bosses, enemy armies, and other opponents to achieve conquest. War is hell, and nothing shows it better like cute anamorphic creatures duking it out against one another!

Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection

Containing the original Final Fantasy IV, remade with higher-resolution sprites and environments, WiiWare's Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, and a brand-new Interlude that connects all three games together, Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection is the ultimate package for fans of Final Fantasy IV. This game was great back when it was released on the Super Nintendo, and it's great now more than a decade later. Consumers apparently did not think that this compendium of Final Fantasy IV was worth purchasing over Dissidia 012, but let me tell you that it is.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky

This portable RPG packs a huge wallop. There's over fifty hours of content to explore and have players sink their teeth into. From all of the optional sidequests to journeying through the expansive world map and many game towns, there's something for everybody in The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky. The combat system is truly entertaining, the original soundtrack is wonderfully captivating, and the visual style is quite remarkable. Those looking for the start of a new trilogy in the series and a solid RPG should look no further than Trails in the Sky.

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We've reached the climax of yet another Most Overlooked article. Agree or disagree with my choices? Let me know in the comments section. And if you missed out on a past Most Overlooked PSP Games article, you can always click one of the following links: